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I subscribe to Dana Carpenter's Low Carb E-Zine and thought that the following article would be helpful to those on a budget:
Low Carb on a Budget
Now that the holidays are over, while our VISA cards are still smoking
in our wallets, it seems an opportune moment to tackle a common
complaint regarding a low carb diet: "It's so expensive!"
At first glance, this seems true. If you've been basing your meals on
potatoes, rice, pasta, and generic white bread, you've been getting
away
with a lower cost-per-serving than, say, steak. However, I have several
thoughts on this matter.
First, and most important, is this: Any food that makes you fat, tired,
sick, and hungry would not be cheap even if they were giving it away.
If
you are carbohydrate intolerant, if you have the illnesses that have
been identified as being related to high insulin levels - diabetes,
hypertension, high triglycerides, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and the
like - "cheap" carbs are a luxury you can't afford. You'll pay for them
in the form of doctor visits, medicines, sick days, dental bills, and
new clothes in bigger sizes.
Second, remember that many carb-y foods are not even cheap to buy. I've
long suspected that cold cereal is a conspiracy to get us to pay three
and a half bucks for fifteen cents worth of grain. Bulk potatoes may be
cheap, but Pringles are expensive. Frozen dinners, canned biscuits,
boxed potatoes, and other prepared foods are not budget items, and most
of them are loaded with junk carbs and bad fats. Cut all of this
rubbish
out of your food budget, and you'll find a bit more room for protein
and
vegetables.
That being said, real, good, nutritious food does cost more per pound
than the cheapest carb-y junk. How to deal with this?
* Not one of those expensive low carb specialty foods is essential to
your success. When I went low carb they didn't exist. Going low carb
meant eating unprocessed real foods, and I suspect that some of the
health benefits stemmed from this simple fact. You'll save big money
eating real food instead of low carb macaroni-and-cheese mix.
* Your body does not care if you get your protein from lobster, steak,
and boneless, skinless chicken breast, or from hamburger, tilapia
fillets, and chicken leg-and-thigh quarters. Hereabouts those boneless,
skinless breasts often run $4.99 a pound, while leg-and-thigh quarters
often go on sale for 69c a pound or less. Big difference.
* Buy in bulk When hamburger, tuna, butter, canned broth, natural
peanut
butter, or the like goes on sale, stock up. A freezer lets you take
advantage of meat specials. I bought my deep freezed used for $225 and
it has paid for itself many times over.
* We love rib eye steaks, which run $8.99 a pound. So I wait till whole
rib eyes go on sale for $4.99 a pound, and have the nice meat guys
slice
one into steaks for me. No charge for this service, and I get steaks
for
several months for the price of one dinner at Outback. I also buy leg
of
lamb on deep discount, and have it cut into steaks - much cheaper than
lamb chops.
* Eat what's in season. Asparagus, lettuce, berries, and melon, all
great low carb foods, are sky-high this time of year. Cabbage,
broccoli,
brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all in season, and are cheaper -
I
just bought cabbage for 39c/pound. This makes coleslaw, steamed
broccoli, and cauliflower "fauxtatoes" better choices than salad.
Turnips and rutabaga (I adore rutabaga!), spaghetti squash, and celery
are other winter vegetables that work well for us. Grapefruit is
abundant, wonderful and cheap in the winter, and has only about 10
grams
of usable carb per half.
* Bagged salad, pre-cut veggies, skinless chicken, pre-made hamburgers
are all expensive. The more food preparation you do yourself, the more
money you will save. Spend an hour on the weekend prepping stuff
yourself, and stash it in the fridge for busy days.
* Nuts are low carb, but so are sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and
they're
far cheaper. More minerals, too!
* Drink homemade iced tea instead of diet soda.
* One of the lowest carb-and-calorie desserts is also one of the
cheapest - store brand sugar-free gelatin.
* Cut way back on eating out. The same food is always far cheaper at
home.
* Bag lunches are a great way to use up leftovers - who wants to pay
for
food to turn green in the fridge?
Low Carb on a Budget
Now that the holidays are over, while our VISA cards are still smoking
in our wallets, it seems an opportune moment to tackle a common
complaint regarding a low carb diet: "It's so expensive!"
At first glance, this seems true. If you've been basing your meals on
potatoes, rice, pasta, and generic white bread, you've been getting
away
with a lower cost-per-serving than, say, steak. However, I have several
thoughts on this matter.
First, and most important, is this: Any food that makes you fat, tired,
sick, and hungry would not be cheap even if they were giving it away.
If
you are carbohydrate intolerant, if you have the illnesses that have
been identified as being related to high insulin levels - diabetes,
hypertension, high triglycerides, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and the
like - "cheap" carbs are a luxury you can't afford. You'll pay for them
in the form of doctor visits, medicines, sick days, dental bills, and
new clothes in bigger sizes.
Second, remember that many carb-y foods are not even cheap to buy. I've
long suspected that cold cereal is a conspiracy to get us to pay three
and a half bucks for fifteen cents worth of grain. Bulk potatoes may be
cheap, but Pringles are expensive. Frozen dinners, canned biscuits,
boxed potatoes, and other prepared foods are not budget items, and most
of them are loaded with junk carbs and bad fats. Cut all of this
rubbish
out of your food budget, and you'll find a bit more room for protein
and
vegetables.
That being said, real, good, nutritious food does cost more per pound
than the cheapest carb-y junk. How to deal with this?
* Not one of those expensive low carb specialty foods is essential to
your success. When I went low carb they didn't exist. Going low carb
meant eating unprocessed real foods, and I suspect that some of the
health benefits stemmed from this simple fact. You'll save big money
eating real food instead of low carb macaroni-and-cheese mix.
* Your body does not care if you get your protein from lobster, steak,
and boneless, skinless chicken breast, or from hamburger, tilapia
fillets, and chicken leg-and-thigh quarters. Hereabouts those boneless,
skinless breasts often run $4.99 a pound, while leg-and-thigh quarters
often go on sale for 69c a pound or less. Big difference.
* Buy in bulk When hamburger, tuna, butter, canned broth, natural
peanut
butter, or the like goes on sale, stock up. A freezer lets you take
advantage of meat specials. I bought my deep freezed used for $225 and
it has paid for itself many times over.
* We love rib eye steaks, which run $8.99 a pound. So I wait till whole
rib eyes go on sale for $4.99 a pound, and have the nice meat guys
slice
one into steaks for me. No charge for this service, and I get steaks
for
several months for the price of one dinner at Outback. I also buy leg
of
lamb on deep discount, and have it cut into steaks - much cheaper than
lamb chops.
* Eat what's in season. Asparagus, lettuce, berries, and melon, all
great low carb foods, are sky-high this time of year. Cabbage,
broccoli,
brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all in season, and are cheaper -
I
just bought cabbage for 39c/pound. This makes coleslaw, steamed
broccoli, and cauliflower "fauxtatoes" better choices than salad.
Turnips and rutabaga (I adore rutabaga!), spaghetti squash, and celery
are other winter vegetables that work well for us. Grapefruit is
abundant, wonderful and cheap in the winter, and has only about 10
grams
of usable carb per half.
* Bagged salad, pre-cut veggies, skinless chicken, pre-made hamburgers
are all expensive. The more food preparation you do yourself, the more
money you will save. Spend an hour on the weekend prepping stuff
yourself, and stash it in the fridge for busy days.
* Nuts are low carb, but so are sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and
they're
far cheaper. More minerals, too!
* Drink homemade iced tea instead of diet soda.
* One of the lowest carb-and-calorie desserts is also one of the
cheapest - store brand sugar-free gelatin.
* Cut way back on eating out. The same food is always far cheaper at
home.
* Bag lunches are a great way to use up leftovers - who wants to pay
for
food to turn green in the fridge?
. I spent more when I wasn't on this WOE because I couldn't control my appetite and wanted to go out to eat ALL THE TIME. THAT's expensive.
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